As his former political party promoted Peter Dutton to leader and the Nationals ousted Barnaby Joyce, a carefree Malcolm Turnbull strolled around the streets of Manhattan.
Mr Dutton’s political career came to a standstill in 2018 when he called a spill against Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, who was attempting to alter Australia’s energy policy.
Despite the failure of the challenge, the party room wanted a second spill, which the former Goldman Sachs banker declined.
Mr. Dutton and Julie Bishop were finally defeated by Scott Morrison.
Four years on from the debacle, the Coalition are licking their wounds after a disastrous federal election result which saw key Liberal MPs in long-held seats get voted out en masse at the hands of environmentally-conscious teal independents.
Far away from the chaos of Australian politics, a relaxed-looking Mr Turnbul donned a green and blue polo shirt with sunglasses, a baseball cap and trousers as he wandered through New York with his wife Lucy.
She carried a tote bag while sporting a cream hat and dark-coloured active wear.
The high-powered couple make regular trips New York City to escape the gaze of Australian media in their luxurious five-bedroom property with panoramic views of Central Park.
The plush pad was created by combining two adjoining units to make a single full-floor home.
Lucy Turnbull bought the couple’s first apartment in the iconic art deco Century Condominium on Manhattan’s Upper West Side for $4.54million in 2012, but the twin property is now estimated to be worth about $22million.
Meanwhile back in Canberra, Mr Dutton was elected unopposed as the new Liberal leader, with former environment minister Sussan Ley taking the role of deputy.
The ultra-conservative campaigner will become the first Queenslander to lead the Liberal Party.
Just down the hall in Parliament house, Barnaby Joyce was booted from the leadership of the Nationals with his deputy David Littleproud taking his place.
Inside Malcolm and Lucy Turnbull’s New York home (above)
The most prominent reason for Mr Turnbull’s demise as prime minister was his National Energy Guarantee (NEG) – an unpopular policy he put forward to stave off rising electricity prices.
Part of the 2017 proposal required power companies to reduce emissions which was not widely slammed by the Coalition among the party room and conservative commentators.
Scott Morrison immediately scrapped the NEG when he took the leadership telling voter his government would focus on keeping power prices low.
Although Mr Morrison defeated labor’s Bill Shorten decisively in 2018, when voters went to the polls last weekend the party suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of Anthony Albanese.
Teal Independents promising stronger action on climate change snatched six safe Liberal Party seats including Mr Turnbull’s own former electorate of Wentworth in Sydney.